Charlotte, North Carolina's largest
city and the seat of Mecklenburg County, is located in the southern part
of the state near the South Carolina border. It was named for King George III of
England's wife, Charlotte Sophia of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Settled about 1750, Charlotte was incorporated as a city in 1768 and
made the county seat in 1774. From 1800 to 1848, Charlotte was the center
of U.S. gold production. A branch of the U.S. mint operated there from
1837 to 1913. Charlotte was a leading Confederate city during the Civil War and was the last
meeting place of the full Confederate cabinet.

Charlotte is the second-largest banking center in the United States,
and two of the nation's top banks, Wachovia and Bank of America, are
headquartered there. Other major employers are the education, health care,
government, technology, and communications sectors. The city is a hub for
US Airways.